Washington (CNN) - A new national poll offers more evidence that now Mitt Romney's pretty much wrapped up the race for Republican nomination, public opinion of GOP presidential candidate is on the rise. But Romney still lags behind President Barack Obama.

According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey released Thursday, 33% see Romney positively, with 36% viewing the former Massachusetts governor in a negative light. That's better than Romney rated the NBC/WSJ March poll, when he had a 28% positive rating and a 39% negative rating.

A CNN/ORC International survey released Tuesday also indicated that Romney's popularity is starting to rebound now that the divisiveness of the primaries appears to be all but over.

Forty-four percent of people questioned in the CNN survey said they have a favorable view of the former Massachusetts governor, up 10 points from February, during some of the most heated moments of the GOP primaries and caucuses. Forty-three percent said they have an unfavorable opinion of Romney, down 11 points from February. Thirteen percent were unsure.

Both polls were conducted after former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania suspended his bid for the GOP nomination on April 10. Even though former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas continue their long-shot bids for the nomination, Romney is now generally considered the presumptive nominee.

But both polls indicate that while on the rise, Romney's popularity still lags well behind the president's favorable ratings among Americans.

The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted April 13-17, with 1,000 people nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

soundoff(66 Responses)

Myviewis

Of course Obama is ahead, single women look to Obama for free birth control, contraceptions and abortion. Men & women look to Obama to once again promise to be Robin Hood and spread the wealth equally, take Oprah's wealth and give it away to everyone so we can all have equal money. Obama will win with all these people waiting for him to take from banks, the rich, wealthy like Senator Dianne Feinstein and write everyone a check. Not sure Sen. John Kerry will agree with having Teresa Heinz millions taken from her to spread equally amongst us.

Is it unreliable polling or dioes a large portion of the electorate just not pay attention? Last week Romney was the poo they wanted to scrape off their shoes and now he is just fine and dandy and ever so likable. we are electing a leader and most people get their information in 30-second soundbites. As a nation, I think we put more thought into picking out a watermelon than picking out a president. Just sad.

April 19, 2012 04:03 pm at 4:03 pm |

Jmc

When he opens his mouth and say something stupid sound like Obama

April 19, 2012 04:03 pm at 4:03 pm |

PJ/TX

I saw a poll that indicated very few are "embracing" Romney, but they are willing to accept the premise that
"anybody but Obama" will do. It doesn't matter to them what this Tea Party kiss-up would do to America, they
just have to play out their hate for our President.

April 19, 2012 04:04 pm at 4:04 pm |

anagram_kid

Mannycl wrote ‘Comrade Obama’. LOL, I guess this is the new tactic since the Socialist, Muslim, Arab…etc. labels did not stick. In case you are too young to remember the McCarthy trials, I suggest you do some research on that subject to see how it ended for the accusers. At the very least read The Crucible.

April 19, 2012 04:04 pm at 4:04 pm |

Sniffit

"A failed community leader vs a successful businessman.
It would be no contest.., if not for the collaberating news networks."

You mean the news networks that studies have proven give airtime during the Sunday morning shows at a ratio of 70% to Republicans and only 30% to Democrats? THis is true no matter who is in office. When it's a GOPer, they say it's so everyone can know what the ruling party is doing. When it's a Dem POTUS, they say the opposition party needs a voice. Get it through your skulls: only morons with a serious aversion to the truth indicative of desperately delusional thinking believe that the entire "news" industry (other than the blatantly and unabashedly right-leaning Faux Noise) is part of a giant "liberal media conspiracy." Nothing backs that up and, in fact, the reality is that the only thing the 'news" media gives two sharts about is their advertising revenue and pandering to fellow corporate giants and Wall Street. Do you reallyl thinnk the extremely wealthy people deciding what goes on the air at CNN want their or the company's taxes to go up, no matter how responsible or mathematically required it is to solve our deficit and debt problems? Please. They've switched to the current he-said-she-said gossip[ paradigm, abrogating every ethical obligation of true journalism under the sun, precisely because it allows them to uncritically broadcast every single batsh-t crazy nonsensical thing the GOP says.

April 19, 2012 04:07 pm at 4:07 pm |

Wire Palladin, S. F.

Since Mittens has been on a non stop lie fest, I wonder if he read in the book of Mormon that says he will be condemned to hell? Hope they have a special place for him.

April 19, 2012 04:07 pm at 4:07 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

...And life goes on in the rightie bubble where reality matters not....eh, truth? It must be hard to be excited when your boy is the weakest nominee since Walter Mondale, but keep taking those meds and riding that toy train you called the Romney Express if it makes you feel good.

April 19, 2012 04:08 pm at 4:08 pm |

GI Joe

There they go again - pollng baggers and republicans. Get Real. NOBODY likes Robmey now, never have, and never will. How can anyone like someone that flip-flops and lies more than any politician in history?

April 19, 2012 04:08 pm at 4:08 pm |

vic , nashville ,tn

GOOD JOB CNN all – in –One
“Romney's popularity is starting to rebound”
WHY
“Both polls were conducted after former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania suspended his bid for the GOP nomination on April 10.”
BUT
“Romney still lags behind President Barack Obama”.

April 19, 2012 04:11 pm at 4:11 pm |

Real-Stay-At-Home-Mom

Little wonder why Rmoney said Fox News and CNN are favorable to him.

April 19, 2012 04:12 pm at 4:12 pm |

anagram_kid

Gov. Romney’s likeability numbers will go down as we see more of him. He is just not likeable. He has that odd body language of turning his whole torso at the end of statements and that truly bizarre walk or very tiny steps. He never looks comfortable while standing. His smile is not genuine and is just plain creepy. Also he is very short tempered and has mediocre active listening skills. This is someone who belongs in a position where selling and negation skills are not needed. His personality is not a good fit for POTUS.

April 19, 2012 04:13 pm at 4:13 pm |

bbrooker88

Well when your choices are sawdust, dirt, and phlegm, and then dirt and phlegm are taken away as choices, sawdust starts to look not all that bad.

April 19, 2012 04:15 pm at 4:15 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

Four and The Door

Mitt Romney is a star. He has the upside possibility of becoming one of the best American presidents ever. How? By being so perfectly qualified at so exactly a time as when these qualifications are necessary. I am pleased to see the momentum of support for Mitt Romney. He deserves it. America deserves better than having that office become greater than just a political game like it has become.
****************************************************************
Yes, he's the perfect candidate.....if you want to be as weak as Walter Mondale. Qualified? He raised taxes and fees on everything that moved in MA, from hinting licenses and gas retailer's fees in an effort to close a budget gap, and drove businesses out of MA in the process. He's no more conservative than I am, but he is an opportunist and chameleon that will tell you exactly what you want to hear, even if he sounds tortured while saying it. As far as a political game is concerned, he began laying the groundwork for this 8 years ago when he effectively abandoned his job as governor of MA. To him, its just another job.

April 19, 2012 04:15 pm at 4:15 pm |

the Situation

Four and The Door

Mitt Romney is a star. He has the upside possibility of becoming one of the best American presidents ever. How? By being so perfectly qualified at so exactly a time as when these qualifications are necessary. I am pleased to see the momentum of support for Mitt Romney. He deserves it. America deserves better than having that office become greater than just a political game like it has become.

April 19, 2012 03:44 pm at 3:44 pm

Romney a STAR! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

This is the same guy that sold out his entire poltical position to win over the extreme right. Same guy that left his state ranked 48th in job creation and instead of facing the people his Statem he ran. Romney is nothing more than an outright liar that believe what he is saying is the truth. All the momentum he is riding now will die after the convention. Obama will tear this twist tongue liar apart in the 3 debates.

April 19, 2012 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Larry L

@RealityBites

A failed community leader vs a successful businessman.
It would be no contest.., if not for the collaberating news networks.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Lay, Bernie Madoff, and Al Capone were "successful businessmen". I wouldn't want them as POTUS.

Right-wingers always whine about the media – even when Faux News, the most dishonest news service in the world since "Pravda", is completely dedicated to hate and lies of the Republican Party.